Universal Solider chords

Donovan

  • Universal Solider was written by Buffy Sainte-Marie - an Indigenous Canadian-American singer-songwriter. The song was released in 1964 on her debut album It's My Way!
  • Featured Artist: Donovan - Scottish musician, songwriter, and record producer. He released the song in Nov 1965, on his second album, Fairytale which included the song on the US version of the album.
  • Music: Key of B Major in 4/4 time at approx. 105 bpm (♩)
  • Chords: B, C#m7, E, F#, G#m
  • Beginners: G Major is a much easier key with chords, G, Am7, C, D, Em. You will need a Capo on the 4th fret if you are playing along with the video.
Chart Legend
Numbered Circles: Fingers used to play chords   O: Optional Note
Barre Line: One finger holds down multiple strings   R: Root Note
Unmarked strings: Play open   X: Don't play string    B: Bass Note
B Major B Major C#m7 E Major F# Major G#m
B Major B Major C#m7 E Major F# Major G#m

Universal Solider

Song Key is highlighted - Transpose to any other key
                 E          F#
Intro: 4/4  |         |2/4        |4/4    𝄎    |   𝄎   |

         E         F#           B        G#m
 1. He's five foot-two and he's six feet-four
       E           F#                 B
    He fights with mis-siles and with spears
         E              F#           B            G#m
    He's all of thir-ty one and he's on-ly se-ven-teen
           E                          C#m7    F#
    Been a sol-dier for a thou-sand | years -    |

          E           F#         B            G#m
2. He'a a Catholic, a Hin-du, an Ath-e-ist, a Jain
     E                F#              B
   A Bud-dhist, and a Bap-tist, and a Jew
          E                   F#           B                G#m
   And he knows he should-n't kill  and he knows he al-ways will
                E                           C#m7   F#
   Kill you for me, my friend, and me for | you  -    |
    
            E             F#            B             G#m
3. And he's fight-ing for Ca-na-da He's fight-ing for France
        E                 F#    B
   He's fight-ing for the U. S. A
            E                 F#                 B                G#m
   And he's fight-ing for the Rus-sians and he's fight-ing for Ja-pan
          E                                     C#m7    F#
   And he thinks we'll put an end to war this | way  -    |

            E                F#                 B                 G#m
4. And he's fight-ing for De-moc-ra-cy and he's fight-ing for the Reds
      E                 F#       B
   He says it's for the peace of all
            E               F#            B                 G#m
   He's the one who must de-cide who's to live and who's to die
          E                                 C#m7   F#
   And he ne-ver sees the writ-ing on the | wall -    |

            E                 F#               B                 G#m
5. But with-out him how would Hit-ler have con-demned them at La-bau?
        E               F#                 B
   With-out him Cae-sar would have stood a-lone
            E                 F#         B              G#m
   He's the one who gives his bo-dy as a wea-pon of the war
            E                                    C#m7    F#
   And with-out him all this kill-ing can't go | on   -    |

            E            F#              B             G#m
6. He's the U-ni-ver-sal Sol-dier and he real-ly is to blame
       E                 F#           B
   His or-ders come from far a-way no more
                  E                  F#
   They come from here and there and you and me... 
                  12/8...
       B                    G#m
   And bro-thers, can't you see?
           E                             C#m7
   This is not the way we put the end to war...

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